Lasting machine



Sepfit. 3,, M35 H. LANE ET AL LASTING MACHINE Filed Oci. 13, 1934 Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,013,057 LASTING MACHINE Harold Lane and Horace Harry Dyson, Leicester, England, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J'., a corporation of v New Jersey Application October 13, 1934, Serial -No.-748,160 In Great Britain November 29, 1933 12 Claims This invention relates to lasting machines and more particularly to machines for lasting the heel ends of shoes. The invention is hereinillustrated as applied to a machine of thetype disclosed in United States- Letters Patent No. 1,949,539, granted on March 6, 1934 upon an application of Joseph GouldbourmFred Ricks and William T. B. Roberts, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to machines of that particushoe bottom part on the lastand a'heel-endl5 per materials about the heel endof the last prior clamping device or heel band for clamping the upto the operation of, the wipers on the upper, the shoe and last being mounted on a work support orjack movableto carry them into position to be embraced at the heel end by the heel band. It has been found that if the heel-end-lasting operation is performed prior to the customary side-lasting operation, or under some conditions evenif the lasting of the heel end follows the lasting of the sides, the heel band and wipers may tendto displace portions of the upper in such manner as to produce immediately in front of the heel seat undesirable wrinkles in the uppermaterials. To avoid this result it is sometimes the practice to drive tacks to fasten the opposite side margins of the upper materials inprop'er positions near the forward end of the heel seat prior to the heelend-lasting operation. In order to eliminate the necessity for this manual operation, it has been proposed heretofore to provideheel-end-lasting machines with special means for controlling'the upper forwardly of its heel-end portion, as disclosed, for example, in an applicationof William T. B. Roberts, Serial No. 712,914, filed on Feb-, ruary 26, 1934; Y 7 Y a It is an object of the present invention to provide improved means for controlling the upper materials forwardly of the heel-end portion of .;,the shoe for the purpose above described. To

this end, the construction shown comprises novel means whereby the upper materials are clamped against the sides of the last and the edge of the wholly below the plane of the wiping faces of the heel-end wipers, so as to be entirely outof the 'Way of the wipers-and yet are in positions to hold the upper eifectively in locations immediately adjacent to the plane of operation of the wipers to insure'against any wrinkling of theupper at the edge of the shoe bottomforwardly of the heel seat by the action of the wipers. As illustrated, and in accordancewith a further feature of the invention, such clamping means comprises clamp members which are combined with other members arranged to clamp and control the shoe and last in locations spaced substantial distances heightwise of the last from the edge of the shoe bottom, the different members at each side of the shoe being relatively movable widthwise of the shoe and connected together so that their pressures on the shoe are substantially equalized. In operating on comparatively small shoes the use of the members located at distances from the shoe bottom may be'unnecessary and even undesirable,

and accordingly the construction shown further comprises'means whereby these members if desired, be rendered inoperative.

A further object of the invention isto provide upper-controlling means such as to facilitate the use as well as improve the operation of a heelend-lasting machine onuppers which, at the time ,of presentation of the work to the machine, are

struction such that the above-mentioned uppercontrolling members, although operated by power to press them firmly against the upper after the starting of the power operation of the machine, are moved into upper-controlling positions by'the operator prior to the starting of the machine, so that he need no longer hold the upper as above described. -,A further'desirable characteristic of the construction shown isthat the upper-control: ling members thus "applied have a forward tightening effect on the upper about the heel end of the last after thestarting of the machine,as more particularly hereinafter explained-J Theabove and other features of the invention, including various-novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of a heel-endlasting machine in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with the parts shown in the positions which they occupy when clamping a shoe, a portion of the structure being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a view in right-hand side elevation; of a portion of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with parts in section; and

Fig. 4 shows in right-hand side elevation means provided for controlling a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Since the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in means intended to form part of'a machine of the same general type as disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,949,539, only such parts of the machine as it is necessary to refer to for an understanding of the invention are shown and will be particularly described. The machine is provided with a work support or jack I, shown in broken lines in Fig. 3; having on its upper end a spindle 3 for engaging each last in its spindle hole. As common in machines of the illustrated type, the jack is supported at its lower end, by means not herein shown, for forward and rearward swinging movements, as indicated by the arrows A, so as to receive the shoe in an idle forwardly inclined position and l to carry the shoe rearwardly to presentit to the lasting mechanism. This mechanism comprises the usual heel band 5 for clamping the upper about the heel end of the last and wipers 6, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, for wiping the marginal portion of the upperinwardly over an insole or other shoe bottom part on the last. The jack is swung rearwardly by the operator to carry the heel end of the shoe to. a position within the heel band and then, through mechanism with which machines of the illustrated type are com monly provided, is lifted by atreadle I (Fig. 4) until the heel end of the insole orother shoe bottom part on, the last comes into-contact with holddown members 9 which serve; to position. the

work at the correct height for the heel-end-lastters Patent No. 1,949,539.

ing operation.

The machine is further provided with a pair of bell-crank levers ll similar to the bell-crank levers I98 shown in, the above-mentioned Let- In the construction herein shown each of these bell-crank leverscarries a block l3 adjustably secured to its forwardly extending arm by a bolt l5 integral with the block. Each of these blocks has formed on it an inwardly extending cylindrical portion I! (Fig. 2) in which is housed a'spring I9, this spring surrounding and urging outwardly (i. e. toward the right as viewed in Fig. 2) a stud 2| the outer end of which has a head thereon engaged bythe spring and the inner end of which carries a cross pin 23 bearing against a second block 25. By means of a tongue-and-groove connection between the blocks l3 and 25 the latter is normally positioned, in fixed. relation. to the former. The

. blocks 25 have clamped therein the lower ends of upwardly extending arms 2! which normally project in front of the forward ends of the heel band 5. To permit access to the heel band each block 25 may be pulled inwardly against the resistance of. the spring; l9 to, break its. tongue-and:-

groove connection with the block l3 so that the arm 21 may be swung forwardly and downwardly about the cylindrical portion 5?.

Each of the upwardly extending arms 21 has formed in it, one above the other, two slideways extending laterally of the machine, in the upper one of which is mounted a slide 29 provided on its inner end with a rectangular rubber pad 3! for engaging the shoe upper, this pad and the slide 29 being so positioned that when a shoe is pressed against the holddown members 3 the pad, when operated, will press the upper materials against the side of the last and against the edge of the insole or other shoe bottom part on the last, the pad being positioned just below the plane of operation of the wipers S and arranged to engage the upper immediately in front of the heelend portion of the shoe and of the heel band 5. The arms 21 are preferably so adjusted in the blocks 25 that when the forwardly extending arms of the bell-crank levers II are swung inwardly toward each other the portions of the pads which, are farthest from the heel-end face of the last first engage the upper, and thereafter as the arms are further operated to press the pads rirmly against the upper the area of contact between the pads and the upper increases progressively toward the heel-end face of the last until the whole of the shoe-engaging faces of the pads are in firm contact with the upper. In this manner the pads l0 tend to work the portions of the upper which they engage somewhat rearwardly, which assists in counteracting such tendency as the forward ends of the heel wipers may have to crowd the upper forwardly.

The lower slideway in each of the arms 2'5 has mounted therein a. second slide 33 which lies in the same vertical plane as the slide 29 and carries at its inner end a last-supporting member or pad 35. The pads 35 thus serve to clamp the opposite sides of the shoe and last in locations just forwardly of the heel band and where the sides of the last slope inwardly toward its top portion, and thereby assist in preventing tipping movement of the last lengthwise or laterally under the pressure of the heel band and, the wipers. The slides 29- andv 33 are coupled together by a lever 37 pivoted midway between its opposite ends on a stud 39 fixed in the arm 27, the ends of this lever extending into notches formed in the slides 29 and 33. Accordingly, if either of the members 3! engages the shoe before the member 35 associated therewith, the lever 37 causes the member 35 to be forced rapidly inward into operative position after which the pressures of the members 31 and 35 on the shoe are substantially equalized through the lever. The lever, of course, will act in a similar manner if the member 35 should engage the work before the member 3!.

When operating on comparatively small shoes the use of the supporting members 35 may be not only unnecessary, but undesirable. Means, therefore, is provided whereby the lower slides 33 may be locked in inoperative positions with the members 35 spaced well away from the work. Forthis purpose each of the arms 2'5 carries, just beneath the inner end portion of the upper slide 29, a pivoted hook-shaped distance piece 4| which is normally in an inoperative position but can be-swung upwardly by a finger piece 43 thereon so as to lie in a space between the inner side of the arm 27. and a shoulder 44 on the slide 29 after the member 3| has been pushed inwardly and the member 35 outwardly by the operator. The distance piece 4| will then prevent inward movement of the slide 33 in response to pressure ber 35 will remain inoperative. 1

The bellcrank levers II are operated to swing their forwardly extending arms inwardly toward theshoein the initial portion of the power oper-" ation of the machine by mechanism similar to that disclosed in the previously mentionedLetters Patent No. 1,949,539. For this purpose the bell-crank levers are connected by rearwardly' extending links .45 (Fig. 1) to the opposite ends of an equalizing lever 41 which is pivotedlsubstantially midway of its length to the central portionof ahorizontal transversely extending leverarmAB mounted at its left-hand end on a vertical pivot (not shown). :Swiveled in the forked right-hand end of the arm49 is aipin 53throughwhich extendsa horizontal rod connected at its rear end to operating means not herein shown but fully disclosed in the abovementioned Letters Patent. On itsforward end the rod5| is provided with nuts 53, andbetween these nuts anda sleeve 54 in engagement with the pin 50 is a spring 55 through which rearward swinging movement is imparted yieldingly to the arm 39 by rearward movement of the rod 5| to operate the bell-crank leversl land thereby force the pads 3| and the members 35 against the shoe.

We have found that, particularly in operating on Veldtschoen shoes, the presentation of the work to the machine is facilitated and improved results areobtained in operating on the upper if the pads 3| are 'made to engage the shoe prior to the starting of the poweroperation of the machine. For this purpose the machine herein shown is accordingly further provided with a bell-crank lever 51 (Fig. 4) having an upwardly extending arm arranged to engage thearm 49 on the front side of the latter and having also a. short horizontal arm connected by a rod 59 to spring 65. Accordingly the arm 49 is swung relatively to the rod 5| against the resistance of the spring 65 by operation of the bellcrank lever 51 in the final portion of the downward movement of the treadle I, so that the pads 3| and the members 35 are carriedinto engagementwith the shoe just as the latter is forced against the holddown members 9 by the treadle. The loose upper of a Veldtschoen shoe is therefore clamped and held in proper relation to the lastbefore the machine is started, thus relieving the operator of the necessity of holding the upper in the correct relation to the-last by his hands until after the heel band and wipers begin to operate onthe upper or, alternatively,relievinghim I of the necessity of driving tacksnear the heel the shoethrough the spring 55 after theistarting of the machine, serve further, as hereinbe fore described, to prevent undesirable wrinkling of the uppergimmediately in front of its heel-end portion by the action'of. the heel .band andwipers as newand desireto secure by Letters on:*the shoe. Another advantage arisingifrom the clamping of the upper by thelpads 3|and themeinbers 35 prior to the starting of themachine isthat these pads and members when so positionedwill thereafter have a forwardpullin'g eifect on the upper to draw it tightly about-the heel end of the .last when the jack is operated by power, as describediin the above-mentioned Letters PatentNo. 1,949,539, tocarry the last and shoefarther rearwardly within the heel band afterthe'startingof the machine. 1

'The operation of .the means provided by the invention'will be clearly understood from. the foregoing: description. As the shoe-engaging pads 3| areforced firmly againstthe upper in the .power operation. ofthe machine, the yielding rubber of which they are made expands somewhat :in directionsboth lengthwise and heightwise of'the shoe, so that the pads press the upper in locations forwardly of the heel-breast line firmly against the sides of the last and against the edges of the insole or other shoe bottom part 1 over substantial areas extending well belowthe level of the bottom face of the last. .As the pads expand heightwise their upper; edges rise far enoughto press the upper against substantially the whole width of the edge of the insole sothat of tacks, driven as usual in machines of the illus trated type. Thereafter the wipers are retracted andthe' heel band islopenedto release the shoe, the bell-crank levers I also being swung reversely tocarry the members 3| and 35 away from the shoe; ,The jack then swings forwardly to its initial position topermit the removal of the shoe. Having described the invention, what we claim Patent of the United States is r a l; 1.. In alasting machine, the combination with heel-endlasting -mechanism comprising means for clamping an upper about the heel end of a last and wipers forwipingthe marginal portion of the :heel end of the upper inwardlyover the ing mechanism, of. upper-controlling means mountedindependently of said Work support and arranged to clampthe upper against the sides of thelast in locations substantially at the edge of the-shoe bottom forwardly of but near the heelendportion of the shoe after the work support has received its work-presentingmovement but prior to any substantial clamping action of said heel-end clamping means on the opposite. sides of the heel end of the upper the portions of said upper-controlling means adjacent to: the shoe being located wholly at the same side of the plane of the wiping faces of thewlpers as, the shoe.

2. In a lasting machine, the combination with heel-end-lasting mechanism comprising aheel band for clamping an upper about the heel end of a last and wipers for wiping the marginal por 'tion of the heel end of the upper inwardly over thebottom of. the last, and a'work support mov able to present a last and shoe: materials to said lasting mechanism, of members mounted independently of said work support and movable into positions to clamp the upper against the sides of the last and against the edge'of a shoe'bottom part on; the last in locations substantially adjacent to the forward ends of said heel band after the work support has received its. work-presenting movement but prior to the closing. of the heel band on the opposite sides .ofv the heel end of the upper, said members being located wholly at the same side'of: the planeof the wiping .faces of; the wipers. as the shoe.

3. In. a lasting machine, the combination: with heel-end-lasting. mechanism comprising means for clamping an upper aboutthe heet end'of. a last and: wipers for wiping thez.marginal: portion of the: heel end of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last, of clamping devices arranged to act respectively at the opposite sides of the shoe forwardly of but: near the heel-end portion of the shoe and each comprising a member for clamping the upper in a location adjacent. tothe edge of the shoe bottom and another member for clamping and holding the shoe and last in a location spaced a substantial distanceheightwise of the shoe from the edge of the shoebottom, said members being. guided independently of each other for movements widthwise of .the' shoe, and means connecting the two members of each of said: clamping. devices together for substantially equalizing. their: pressures on the shoe.

4'. In a lasting machine, the combination with heel-end-lasting mechanism comprising a heel band: for clamping an upper about the-heel end of a last, and a work. support. movable to present a; last and shoe materials to saidlasting mechanism,.of clamping devices mounted; independently of said! work support and movable intoclamping relation to the shoe and last in locations: substantially adjacent to the forwardends of said. heel band at the opposite sides ofthe shoe respectively after thework support has received: its work-presenting; movement but prior to any substantial clamping action of. the. heel band on the opposite sides of' the heel end. of the: upper, each of said clamping devicesv comprising a. member for clamping, the upperiin a locationadjacent. to the edge of the shoe bottom and another member for clamping and holding the'shoe and last in a.1ocation spaced a substantial distance heightwise of the shoe from the edge of the shoe bottom, said members being guided independently of each otherfor movements widthwise of the shoe, and

. means connecting the two members ofeach of said clamping. devices together for substantially equalizing their pressures on'the shoe.

5. In a lasting machine, the combination with heel-end-lasting. mechanism comprising means forclamping an upper about the heel end of a last and wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last, of clamping devices arranged to act respectively. attheopposite sides of the shoe. forwardly of but near the heel-end portion of the shoe and each comprising members slidingly mounted to move relatively to each other in directions toward andfrom the shoe and-provided respectively with means for clamping the upper in a location adjacent to: the edge of the" shoe bottom and means forcla-mping and holding the shoe and last in: a location. spaced? a. substantial distance heightwi'seoizthe' shoe-from: the edge of the shoe bottom; and an equalizing lever connecting the two members of each of said clamping animate devices, together for substantially equalizing. their pressures on the shoe.

6. In a lasting machine, the combination with heel-end-lasting mechanism comprising means for clamping an upper about the heel end of a last and wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly over the bottomof the last, of. clamping devices arranged to act respectively at the opposite sides of the shoe forwardly of but near the heel-end portion of the shoe and each comprising a member for clamping the upper in a location adjacent to the edge oi the shoe bottom and another member for clamping and holding the shoe and last in a location spaced a substantial distance heightwise of the shoe fromthe edge of the shoe bottom, a support common to both members of each of said clamping devices for moving them toward the shoe and relatively to which each member is movable widthwise of the shoe, and means movable at the will of the operator into position to maintain the clamping and holding member of each of said devices inoperative while the other member is in: clamping position.

7:. In. alasting machine, the combination with heel-end-lasting mechanism comprising means for. clamping an upper about the heel end of a last and wipers for wiping the marginal portion 01 the heel end of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last, of clamping devices arranged to act respectively at the opposite sides of the shoe forwardly of but near the heel-end portion of. the shoe and each comprising a member for clamping the upper ina location adjacent to the edge of the shoe bottom and another member for clamping and. holding theshoe and last in a location spaced a substantial distance heightwise of the shoe from the edge of the shoe bottom, said members being guided independently of each other for movements widthwise of the shoe, means connecting the two members of eachof said clamping devices together for substantially equalizing their pressures on the shoe, and means movable at the will. of the operator into position to maintain the twomembers of each of said devices in such positions that said clamping and holding member is inoperative while the other member is operative.

8. In a power-operated lasting machine, the combination with heel-end-lasting mechanism comprising means for clamping an upper about the heelend ofalast, of members arranged to clampthe upper. to the sides of. the last in locations forwardly of but near the heel-end portion of the last independently of said heel-end clampingmeans, means movable by the operator to force said members against the shoe prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine, andpower-operated means for forcing said memhere more firmlyagainst the shoe after the starting of the machine;

9.111 a power'operatedlasting machine, the combination with heel-end-lasting mechanism comprisingmeans for clamping an upper about the heel: end of a last, of members arranged to clamp the upper to the sides of the last in locations forwardly of but near the heel-end portion of the: last independently of said heel-end clamping means, power-operated means including a lever movable to press said. members firmly against the shoe after the starting of the power operation of the machine, and a device movable by the operator and arranged to act through said lever to move. said. members into upper-clamping positions prior to the starting of the machine.

101 Ina power operated. lasting machine, the

combination with heel-end-lasting mechanism comprising a heel band for clamping an upper about the heel end of a last and wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last, and a work support movable to present a last and shoe materials to said lasting mechanism, of members mounted independentlyof said work support and I movable into positions to clamp the upper against the sides of the last in locations substantially adjacent to the forward ends of said heel band, means movable by the operator prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine to force said members against the shoe after the'work support has received its work-presenting movement but prior to the closing of the heel band on the 1 opposite sidesof the heel end of. the upper, and power-operated means for forcing said members more firmly against the shoe after the starting of the machine. 7

11. In a power-operated lasting machine, the combination with heel-end-lasting mechanism comprising means for clamping an upper about the heel end of a last and wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last, and a work a support movable in a direction lengthwise of a last thereon to present the work to said lasting mechanism prior to the starting of the power op.

eration of the machine and further movable in the same direction after the starting of the machine, of members mounted independently of said work support for clamping the upper to the opposite sides of. the last in locations near the forward end of the heel portion of the last, and

' the heel end of a last and wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last, and a work support movable in a direction lengthwise of a last thereon toprevent the work to said lasting,

mechanism prior to the starting of the power operation of. the machine and further movable in the same direction after the starting of the machine, of members mounted independently of said work support forclamping the upper to the opposite sides of the last in locations near the forward end of the heel portion of the last, means for moving said members into upper-clamping positions. prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine to render them effective to tighten the upper forwardly about the heel end of the last in response to movement of the work support, and power-operated means for forcing said membersmore firmly against the upper after the starting of the machine.

HAROLD LANE. HORACE HARRY DYSON. 

